Leaving Microsoft

Nov 20, 2016

November 18th, 2016 was my last day at Microsoft.

Looking back

I’ve been hired out of college 4 years ago.
My first project was ERP system Dynamics AX.
Joining Microsoft I had very little Windows experience and was desperately missing bash.
Working in Dynamics, I experimented with different options, like cmd, cygwin and powershell.

I didn’t quite like few things in PowerShell, but despite that it seems very fresh and powerful.
I asked the team to give me access to PowerShell source code.
They could not because … you know, Windows source code permissions.
So I figure out the only way to get my hands on the codebase and try to fix the problems is to join the team.

PowerShell

That’s how I joined PowerShell team 2.5 years ago in 2014.

It was such a fun gig!
I was fortunate to work with smart, friendly and passionate people.
I learn a ton about technologies and the software development.

PowerShell has awesome community.
I get to know people who are making their living using the software I write.
People who just enjoy using it.
People whose life is better because PowerShell exists.
That’s very inspiring and motivating for me.
Thank you, community!

Today we have open-source cross-platform PowerShell.
Thank you, all the people who made this possible!
And special thanks to Andy: the single person who is mostly responsible for the success of this project.
Andy, it was a pleasure to work with you.

Going forward

I will start working at Dropbox (Seattle) in January 2017.

I’m currently one of PowerShell maintainers.
I will continue to be maintainer, as far as the team thinks I provide value as a maintainer and I have time for that.
That would make me first non-Microsoft-employee-PowerShell-maintainer.
I think it’s a very healthy sign and shows that team treats its open-source projects with transparency and inclusiveness.